Everything from cells to stars to particles exists on the edge of chaosTue, 21 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Complex systems, be they living beings or fundamental particles, need to have enough structure to hang together along with unpredictability that can allow for change. Columnist Thomas Lewton explores whether this idea is simply a pattern seen across the cosmos or could be a “theory of everything” | |
Inhaling high-dose CO2 clears Alzheimer’s proteins from the brainMon, 20 Jul 2026 16:31:27 +0000 Intermittently inhaling a high dose of carbon dioxide seems to remove the proteins amyloid and tau, which are implicated in Alzheimer's disease, from the brain by boosting its glymphatic system | |
AI’s solution to 87-year-old riddle takes mathematicians by surpriseMon, 20 Jul 2026 15:26:43 +0000 Mathematicians have been trying to prove the Jacobian conjecture for nearly a century, but now the Claude Fable 5 AI has apparently found a counterexample that disproves it | |
How to maximise the mental health benefits of your vacationMon, 20 Jul 2026 15:00:37 +0000 Don’t just hit the beach. Research is revealing how to have a holiday that leaves you mentally restored and refreshed – with long-lasting effect | |
Strange paraparticles could be reality’s missing ingredientMon, 20 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Neither matter nor force, paraparticles would be something else entirely. Fresh hints that they exist are raising hopes that they could explain reality at its deepest level | |
Cloudy skies have slowed global warming – but that may be changingMon, 20 Jul 2026 11:53:25 +0000 Low cloud cover has been expanding since 1979, reflecting more sunlight into space, but scientists expect that trend to reverse and accelerate global warming | |
Hunter-gatherers introduced fish to a mountain lake 7000 years agoSun, 19 Jul 2026 23:01:00 +0000 Many centuries before the advent of agriculture in Norway, ancient people transported fish into mountain lakes to create a source of food, then built wooden traps to catch them | |
Using AI for creative pursuits? Moderation is keyFri, 17 Jul 2026 16:47:17 +0000 An experiment showed AI users had the most creative ideas when they used it in moderation – not too much and not too little. Columnist David Robson puts the finding to the test, and explores what we lose when we over-rely on AI | |
Supplement that binds to microplastics may remove them from our bodyFri, 17 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 A supplement comprised of dead bacteria seems to remove microplastics, and prevent their absorption into cells, by attracting them to the bacteria's rough surfaces | |
Why a Ukrainian cruise missile is flying with hobby drone hardwareFri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000 An open-source flight-control system found in consumer drones has been installed in Ukraine’s latest cruise missile, showing how cheap technology is making military hardware accessible to all | |